1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing system comprising a printing apparatus and a post-processing apparatus connected to the printing apparatus, and a method for controlling the system.
2. Description of the Related Art
To compete with the conventional printing industry, a Print On Demand (POD) printing system has been recently proposed in which a printing apparatus employing an electrophotographic method or a printing apparatus employing an ink-jet method is utilized (see US Patent Pre-Grant Publish No. US-2004-0190057). Such a POD printing system does not require an offset plate making process or other complicated tasks.
However, in view of the level of its practical products, such a POD printing system still has plenty of room for improvement. For example, in conventional printing systems, a post-process by an in-line finisher connected to a printer (a finisher (post-processing apparatus) that is linked to a printer via a paper path) cannot be used without being accompanied by printing by the printer. Therefore, it is desirable that a post-process by an in-line finisher connected to a printer can be utilized without being accompanied by printing by the printer.
Also, when printing is performed using a printer connected to such an in-line finisher, the printing specifications of the printer are determined, considering post-processing for a printed material, that is, the settings of the connected in-line finisher. However, when it is desired to perform only printing using the printer without performing post-processing, the limitation of the printing specifications based on the settings of the in-line finisher impairs the operability of the printer. Therefore, also in a printer thus connected to an in-line finisher, it is desirable to set the printing specifications irrespective of the settings of the in-line finisher.